Adult life can be hectic. When trying to balance work, personal, and family lives, it can feel hard to get organized, stick to a schedule, or focus on what’s important. What about when this feels impossible? This is the case for adults with ADHD.

What is ADHD?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health disorder that includes a combination of persistent problems affecting executive function, such as inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. Approximately 10 million adults have ADHD.

What does ADHD look like in adults?

According to the National Health Service, adults with ADHD may find they have problems with

• organization and time management;
• following instructions;
• focusing and completing tasks;
• coping with stress;
• feeling restless or impatient;
• impulsiveness and risk taking.

Why is ADHD in adults underdiagnosed? *

Underdiagnosis of ADHD in adults is likely to be due to the mistaken belief that ADHD does not continue into adulthood, as well as uncertainty about diagnostic criteria in adults, according to the National Institute of Health.

There is debate over whether the list of symptoms used to diagnose children and teenagers with ADHD also applies to adults. While ADHD is a disorder that starts in childhood and lasts into adulthood, the way that inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness affect adults can be very different from the way they affect children.

How can Opal help?

Living with ADHD can be difficult, as symptoms can make everyday activities at work and home more challenging.

At work, people may find it difficult to perform their required tasks and duties, work in a team, and maintain good relationships. They may also feel overwhelmed easily, leading to procrastination or shutting down—an example of paralysis. On the other hand, people may become hyperfocused—an extended period of intense fixation—if a task is particularly absorbing.

At home, adults with ADHD may find it difficult to maintain positive relationships with family and friends and stay on top of household organization.

At Opal, our mission is to help people live more focused, productive lives by blocking out distractions, setting intentions, and creating schedules—both on iOS and Chrome.

If you’re an adult living with ADHD, Opal can help:

• Stay organized by creating recurring schedules to block out distractions (e.g. social media) during the work or school day;
• Set aside time in the morning or night to plan your day;
• Find ways to help you relax, like listening to music or trying breathing exercises for stress (see this in action at Opal Flow Sessions!).

After identifying the areas of your life that are most affected by ADHD, seek various treatments to address them, such as learning to structure your environment or working with a Focus Coach. Whatever you may need to become more focused and productive with ADHD, Opal is here to help! Read about the Opal Impact here.

* This post is not intended to diagnosis any condition.